Governor.



No. 797,416. .PATENTED AUG. 15, 1905. W. L. R. EMMETn GOVERNDR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1901.

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of the engine.

UNITED PATENT OFFTEE.

"WILLIAM L. R. EMWET, OF SOHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSlGNOR TO GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION Oh NEW? YORK;

tBlOWllEldhlOlqT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 27, 1901. Serial No- 58,0 i6.

To all] 1117210771 71?; 711/14 concern:

Be it known that I, lVILLIAM Ln ROY EM- MET, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Governors, ofwhich the following is a specification.

When engine-driven alternator-s are operated in parallel with eachother, a difficulty frequently arises due to a tendency to oscillationin the relative motions of the machines, the oscillations beingnaturally accompanied by periodic cross-currents between the machines.In some cases the amplitude of these oscillations is limited in extent,while in other cases the oscillations may become so violent as to throwthe machines out of step. These oscillations are in their nature similarto the swing of a pendulum. Since an oscillating motion, such that of apendulum, is not kept alive except by the supply of periodic impulses,the inquiry naturally arises as to whence come the impulses which keepalive the oscillating speed variations in the case of parallel-connectedalternators. After an investigation of the matter l. have been led tothe belief that these oscillations are due to the relative actions ofthe engine-governors, which in their efforts to compensate for the speedvariations of the machines cause a periodic delivery of steam whichkeeps the speed of the engines continually oscillating. The oscillationsof engine motion which are here referred to should not be confused withthe natural variations which are caused by normal irregularity of crankeffort, although these natural variations of course have a tendency tostart the other trouble where the conditions are such that it may exist.

To cure the difliculty mentioned, I. have devised an arrangement wherebythe efforts of the engine-governor to control the speed of the engineare prevented from becoming cf feetive until after the expiration of aperiod of time greater than a period of one oscillation. Speedoscillations therefore no longer have any effect upon the regulatingapparatus The governor is only brought into operation when the speed ofthe engine is maintained for a considerable length of time either aboveor below the normal value.

The Various features of novelty which constitute my invention are setforth in the claims appended hereto.

For a more detailed description of my invention and of its mode ofoperation reference is to be had to the following description, taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing l have remescnted so much of the governing mechanism of asingle engine as may be necessary to an understanding of my invention.For convenience of illustration 1 have shown the governor as controllingthe speed of the engine by a throttle in the steam-adi'nission pipe; butit is to be understood that the invention is equally applicable to andin practice would generally be used in connection with a regulator ofthe type in which the point of cut-off is adjusted as, for example, inengines of the Corliss type.

Referring to the drawing it will be seen that the speed-controllingdevice comprises, among other elements, a ball-governor 1 of anyordinary type, this governor being driven in any suitable manner as, forexample, by means of bevel-gears 2 3, operatively related to the mainshaft of the engine. (Not shown.) A sleeve t, which is moved up and downupon the governor-shaft as the speed of the same varies, carries agrooved collar 5, which acts upon a bell-crank lever 6, the outer end ofwhich is adapted to communicate motion through the governor-rod 7 to athrottle-valve 25, which controls the admission of steam to the engine.As has before been mentioned, however, this rod might equally well beemployed to control the point of cut-off.

The rod '7 is broken in two and the parts are operatively connectedthrough a dash-pot 8, the outer member 9 of which is secured to one end10 of the rod and incloses a piston 11, fixed. to the other portion ofthe rod 7. The piston-rod, which is secured to the piston 11, of coursemakes a tight joint with the cylinder 9 of the dash-pot.Oeiiteringsprings 12, located on either side of the piston, tend tomaintain the piston in a middle position with respect to the dash-potcylinder. The interior of the dash-pot may be filled with oil, air, orsome other suitable fluid for which a passage from one side of thepiston to the other may be afforded either by an opening through thepiston itself or by a loose fitting of the piston in the cylinder, asmay be desired.

An arm 18, carried by the rod 7, has pivoted to its upper end a leverlet, the outer end 15 of which is adapted to close an electric circuitthrough engagement with an insulated contact 16, carried on that portionof the governorrod designated as 10. A spring 17 normally urges thesecontacts together. A cam 18, carried by the dash-pot cylinder, is,however, adapted to engage a cooperating camsurface 19 on the lever 14.When the piston of the dash-pot moves relatively to the cylinderinclosing the same, this cam and its cooperating camsurface cause aslight movement of the lever 14 about its pivot and a consequentseparation of the contacts 15 and 16. These contacts are in an electriccircuit including a source of current, such as a battery 20 and anelectromagnet 21, across poles of which an armature 22, fixed to the rod10, is adapted to slide. Since the two parts 7 and 10 of thegovernor-rod are mounted so as to slide through fixed bearings 23 and21, this armature 22 is at all times in close inductive relation to thepoles of the magnet 21.

From the above explanation of the details of one form of apparatusembodying my invention it will be seen that the governor-rod is firmlylocked from movement at all times when the piston of the dash-potoccupies a central position in the cylinder of the same. This dash-potis adjusted so as to be slow in action, thereby preventing oscillationsin speed from having any appreciable elfect in altering the relativeposition of the parts thereof. The governor-rod being therefore lockedwhile these oscillations of speed take place, a jerky supply of steam tothe engine is prevented, thereby allowing the oscillations to die outfrom want of any sustaining impulses. In case, however,'of a continueddrop in speed, such as would be caused by an increased load, thegovernor, by acting continuously in one direction upon the daslrpot,causes a displacement of the parts thereof from their normal positionand a consequent opening of the contacts 15 and 16. The armature 22being now unlocked, the governor-rod is free to act upon the throttle25, the supply of steam being then adjusted in the usual manner, duringwhich operation the centering-springs of the dashpot return the parts totheir normal relative positions. When this has been done, the contacts15 16 again close and the governor-rod is again locked, this actiongoing on from time to time, as may be required.

Although I have described and illustrated an electrical arrangement forlocking the governing mechanism, it is to be understood that myinvention in its broader aspects covers any suitable meansmechanical,electrical, hydraulic, or otherwise.

What 1 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of theUnited States, is

1. The combination of a governor, locking means for opposing movement ofsaid governor, and separate means whereby the tendency to govern willrelease said locking means after said tendency has continued a definiteperiod.

2. The combination of a governor, electrically-controlled locking meansfor opposing movement of said governor, and means whereby the tendencyto govern will release said locking means after said tendency hascontinued a definite period.

3. The combination of a governor, electrically-controlled locking meansfor opposing movement of said governor, and means by which the tendencyto govern will release said locking means after said tendency hascontinued a definite period.

4:. The combination of a governor, a device movable thereby, means forlocking said device, and means whereby the tendency to govern willrelease said locking means after said tendency has continued a definiteperiod.

5. The combination of a governor, a device governed thereby, means forpreventing the governor from exerting any governing elfect, andelectrically-controlled means for allowing the governor to exert agoverning eifect after a tendency to exert such effect has continued adefinite time.

6. The combination of a governor, a device controlled thereby, adash-pot mechanically connected between said governor and said device,means for locking said device, and means controlled by relative motionof the members of said dash-pot for releasing said locking means.

7. The combination of a governor, a device operatively related theretoand movable thereby, and means for momentarily delaying the response ofsaid device to motion of said governor.

8. The combination of a governor, a device controllable thereby, andmeans for positively locking said device.

9. The combination of a governor, a device movable thereby, and meansfor locking said device until the effect of the governor has continuedfor a definite period and means for then unlocking said device.

10. The combination of a governor, avalvecontrolling mechanism, adelayed lost-motion connection between said governor and said mechanism,and magnetic means for locking said mechanism.

11. The combination of a governor, a valvecontrolling mechanism, alost-motion connection between said governor and said mechanism, andmeans for locking said mechanism.

12. The combination of a centrifugal governor, avalve-controllingmechanism operated by said governor, and a lost-motion connectionbetween said governor and said mechanism, said lost-motion connectionconsisting of a dash-pot.

13. The combination of a governor, a rod, connections between said rodand said gov ernor, and means for locking said rod.

1 1. The combination of a governor, a rod,

eonnections between said rod and said governor, and magnetic means forlocking said rod.

15. The combination of a centrifugal governor, a rod movable thereby,means for looking said rod When the governor is running at normal speed,and means for unlocking the rod upon continued variation of speed fromthe normal.

16. The combination of a centrifugal governor, a valve or other devicecontrolled thereby, a rod through the medium of which the control iseflected, and means for locking said rod.

17. The combination of a centrifugal governor, a rod movable thereby,means for locking the rod When the governor is running at normal speed,and means for unlocking the rod in response to change in speed of thegovernor.

18. The combination of a centrifugal governor, a valve controlledthereby, a dash-pot

